Naturopathic Medicine

What is Naturopathic Medicine?The naturopathic approach and philosophy of medicine is holistic and seeks to understand all the factors that may be affecting a person’s health. Naturopathic doctors strive to find the underlying cause of illness rather than simply eliminating or suppressing symptoms. By listening carefully we can understand all the factors contributing to your health problems and uncover the underlying causes. Naturopathic medicine is appropriate for the management of a broad range of health conditions affecting people of all ages.

The emphasis of naturopathic medicine is on prevention and restoration of balance in the body, mind and spirit. We recommend natural, non-invasive therapies aimed to support and encourage the body’s innate healing processes. One of our main goals is to educate you on what you can do to promote health in your own life.

A naturopathic doctor takes rigorous professional basic science and clinical board examinations so that he or she may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction. Passing the naturopathic physicians licensing examinations (NPLEX) is required before a Doctor of Naturopathic medicine can be licensed as a naturopathic physician. Dr. Cronin is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in Washington State.

Dr. Cronin received her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University, one of the few accredited schools of naturopathic medicine. Bastyr University’s primary accreditation is granted by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (www.nwccu.org), one of six institutional bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The naturopathic medicine program at Bastyr University is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (www.cnme.org). For more information you can go to www.bastyr.edu.

State Licensure for Naturopathic DoctorsStates licensed for naturopathic doctors currently include Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. Licensing efforts are taking place in numerous other states. For more information on Naturopathic Medicine or to find an ND in another state you can contact the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians at www.naturopathic.org.

Because Naturopathic Medicine is not yet licensed or regulated in the State of New York, it is important to distinguish those naturopathic doctors who have completed an intensive four-year program at an accredited school from those who have completed a short-term course in naturopathy, most often by correspondence. To support the licensing efforts in New York State, please go to www.nyanp.org and follow the prompts to support legislation. Thank you.

Is Naturopathic Medicine research-based?Naturopathic diagnostic and therapies are supported by scientific research drawn from peer-reviewed journals from many disciplines, including naturopathic medicine, conventional medicine, complementary medicine, clinical nutrition, etc.